Comment number 2.

1) Leave the EU2) Sack the House of Lords - replace with a house elected under proportional representation3) Halve the number of MPs4) Immediate removal of public sector pension links to salary - survive on savings like the rest of us5) Reinburse Equitable Liofe pensioners who have lost their savings due to mismanagement by the government's regulators6) Build a block of flats in London for out of town MPs - no more 2nd homes

Comment number 3.

We must cut the beaurocracy/management in the NHS whilst investing much more in doctors, nurses, matrons and medical facilities. We must also halt the patchwork privatisation of the NHS and do whatever is needed to pull it back under public control.

We must get off oil as soon as possible, or atleast decrease our dependency dramatically. We have enough wind potential to power this island 3 to 4 times over, why aren't we using it to charge electric cars? We also have the technology to store peaks in electric supply without the use of batteries. This should be employed on a massive scale.

We should bring the troops home from our middle east wars (as there is still not proof to suggest that it is making Britons safer) saving us tens of billions of pounds. Money and lives we desperately need back home.

We should also scrap or atleast dramatically scale back Trident. 90 billion pounds is too much to spend on something we'll probably never use.

Comment number 4.

Manifesto: Pack of lies designed to draw in as many unsuspecting voters as possible.

I would like to see just one line added to the end of each parties manifesto: "If we are unable to achieve at least 75% of the aims listed above, we will admit to the electorate that we are incompetent and will resign."

It's always amazed me how politicians are allowed to spout lie after lie in order to gain power then when they get there, the manifesto is simply torn up and they do as they please for the next few years...and we fall for it every time.

Therefore, the answer to your question is: It doesn't matter what promises are made in a manifesto...

Comment number 5.

The Labour party has promised more reforms... They have had 13 years to implement these reforms.They are full of empty promises.Lets have a new broom. Gordon Brown and his cronies have tried and failed.

Comment number 6.

Fairer taxes. - Why is petrol taxed such high that it is crippling the economy? - Why is the duty on alcohol and tobacco a multiple of its cost to the society? - Why can teenage girls make a carrier out of making babies?

House prices- The prices have to come down and particular in London, Edinburgh, etc. - The government let the house prices too much over to the market (a side result is that it pays a fortune for people on benefits).

Comment number 7.

Radical reform of personal taxation & benefits such that payments to those over 18 not working (irrespective of reason - no job, ill, disabled, caring responsibilities or retired) be limited to a sum equal to the minimum national wage. No extra handouts whatsoever. You want more, earn it. Personal taxation would start at that point, and probably be a flat rate rather than punishing those who earn more.

Indirect taxation to be open and fair, and without 'social engineering' overtones.

True open budgets - to show both where the money is coming from and where it is going to.

Reduction in the sheer amount of government. Governments are expensive and don't provide value for money, so the less the better! Devolve local affairs to locally-elected bodies as appropriate.

Core services - health, education, emergency services, defence - to retain current levels of funding; with a view to increasing once the economic situation improves.

Establish an issues-based system of democratic representation whereby the citizens are asked their views and the majority decision is binding on the relevant representative. Allow 'recall' of any representative where a majority of those they represent do not think he's doing the job.

Comment number 8.

I would not promise to "halve the deficit", as this means to double the National Debt. What I would promise is to:Halve the National Debt by raising VAT to 20%,cutting welfare benefits, slashing the number of QUANGOs and their associated placemen, and abolishing ID cards and NHS computer schemes, etcLeave the EU thus saving many billions and regaining control over our countryCreate an English Parliament to restore democracy to the largest part of our KingdomGreatly restrict immigrationRepeal one Act of Parliament for every new one passed

Comment number 10.

1 Abolish National Insurance and have a simplified Tax scheme, easily understood by everyone.

2 Limit the amount spent on business hospitality. I have received some but never more than £50 per meal or £100 per night in a hotel. Events such as Wimbeldon, footbal/cricket matches, fly fishing, and certainly trips to lap dancing clubs should never be of-set against tax. Public services such as water/electricity/gas/phone etc to publish all their accounts. Any publicly limited company with a turn-over of £1 million to publish all payments and bonuses to directors. All bonuses to have their requirments written into the minutes of the previous years AGM. Tax on share dealings where the shares are held for less than 3 months. All shares bought to be payed for the same day.

3 Create one national defence force, combine the navy/army/air-force and reduce the amount of administration, service levels, departments, 'regiments' etc.

4 Complete re-structure of the legal profession, have only one qualification 'Attorney in Law'. No solicitors/barristers/QC's. All wigs, costumes etc to be removed.

5 Complete re-structure of the police. Small regional forces combined into larger forces to deal with serious crimes. Abolish all the non-ranks in the police and have the authority determined by the job an officer does, not by their rank. I would have: constable /sargent /inspector /superintendent /chief constable. This would mean that if an officer was promoted to a position where they failed they could be reduced in authority but retain their rank. At present an officer can be over-promoted and is stuck there and cannot be removed.

6 Serious action on anti-social behaviour. Anyone found guilty of an anti-social crime or drug related loses a claims for benefit for 6 months, or pays a big fine.

7 Most important of all; reduce the number of MP's to 450. Arrange super constituencies of 10 MP's (45 in total) and have each elect their MP's by proportional representation. Then pay MP's £250K per year for EVERYTHING and a ban on ALL other monies payed to them. All ministers voted into office by seceret ballot of MP's and a complete ban on any form of second chamber.

8 A WRITTEN constitution, monitored by a supreme court, members voted for in a general election, which is held every four years at a known date.

9 Change in the libel/compensation laws so that you have to prove you have suffered an actual financial loss to receive compensation, anything else you are only allowed a public apology.

10 All public services, civil service and local authorities to be all privatised and put out to contract. Supervision and monitoring to be also by private licensed organisations.

Comment number 11.

My manifesto would set out a policy of reclaiming former public owned utilities, the creation of a proper integrated transport system. The rebuilding of our manufacturing sector. Sponsoring research into clean burn technologies(we have 400 years supply of coal underground, the world's energy supplies are in politically volatile areas, we need to safeguard our access to energy).A 'Fitness For Employment' program to end the 'benefit culture'. People cannot be left to live a life of idleness and hopelessness, the social and economic effects can no longer be ignored.A 'Leave No Child Behind' program in education, no child will leave Primary education illiterate or innumerate. Without these basic skills there can be no progress in Secondary education.A determined crackdown on the £28 billion lost to the Exchequer annually from tax evasion and tax avoidance schemes. Severe financial penalties for those seeking these schemes and long custodial sentences for the lawyers and accountants who set them up.

Comment number 12.

I see we have the normal little englander comments about leaving the EU. I doubt the people who make these comments need the UK in the EU to keep their jobs. I and thousends of others in the UK would be out of a job if we left the EU the american company I work for would move to spain the moment we left the EU.

I would like to see one party tell us the truth about getting the country out of debt.

If any party would be willing to tackle benefit culture by stopping benefit of the deadbeats who spend their lives living off the hard work of others I think that would get them a lot of votes but no party is willing to do anything about them.

Comment number 13.

Leave the EUMove parliament out of London, very far away and put MPs in barracks accommodationRenationalise Coal, Steel, Railways etc. Build up a British Merchant Marine again.Stop immigrationPut criminals in Jail. Deport foreign born criminals on release.Raise the minimum wage to something people can actually live on.Scrap Trident and Britain's nuclear weapons programme.

Oh, and be tough on crime and the causes of crime, education education education etc

Tax millionaire ex prime ministers at 200 percent

Take examples of how to do things from countries that actually work like Norway and not the USA

Stop interfering in the affairs of other countries.Stop subsidising India. It's bigger and richer than us anyway. Same goes for Africa. Why give millions of pounds to genocidal maniacs to salt away in Swiss bank accounts. It gives our own politicians ideas.

Comment number 14.

dunno much about all this really apart from what i read in the tabloids but i want this

pay less tax but have better servicesmore jobs but less unemployedpay less ni but have better healthcareless immigrants, dont care if there life is much better hereless money for families and the poor, more money for me, even tho i have a job, am single and have no kids, i want more money out of principle

Comment number 15.

We are unfit to govern the UK and pledge to seek out and severely reprimand any individual using our respective party names to coerce another individual into voting for us. From this day forward we will seek to atone for our evil ways over the past several decades by seeking out and destroying any individual or group of individuals who seek to emulate, in whatever way, anything we have foolishly done in defiance of democracy. We will learn what it is to be humble.

Comment number 16.

Radical investment in new technologies, particularly green technologies. eg transport, energy production and conservation. These are essential for our industrial development and our environmental well-being regardless of global warming.

A well-resourced NHS driven by medics and patients not by pen pushers.

Properly funded schools where teachers have the autonomy to be creative within a stripped-down, skills-based national curriculum. Get rid of SATs and league tables. Bring back real education!! Raise the status of industrial skills in education. All FE courses to include work skills but with urgent attention to ethics, literature and philosophy. The nation lives from its head down!

Maintain fairly and firmly the current points-based immigration arrangements. They are beginning to work.

Extend schemes to put non-violent offenders to work for the public good. eg. litter picking, hedge and ditch maintenance. Sentences must be aimed at rehabilitation as a priority. Parenting courses for parents of children identified early as problem children. Compulsory courses for parents of persistent offenders. Extend schemes to put police and community officers on the beat in greater numbers.

Urgent review of our short, medium and long-term defence needs. Maintain a force that can switch roles easily between peace keeping, radical intervention and home defence. Get rid of all nuclear weapons within 3 parliaments.

Bring forward the review of care of the elderly schemes. Compulsory contribution for all.

Apply convergence tests to see if we are ready to join the Euro. Have a referendum in this parliament if the tests are positive.

Measures to ensure that foreign owners cannot dominate our media and to ensure that TV, Radio and Broadband suppliers cannot also run newspapers.

Overhaul the drugs categorisation system. Legalise the use of all drugs,(tobacco and alcohol included) but regulate their supply according to their understood danger. eg. Registered users of heroin and other opiates to receive supply, cannabis and tobacco supplied only at a limited number of outlets, alcohol supplied as now but with minimum pricing. Extremely heavy sentences for illegal supply.

Comment number 18.

To totally reform Britain's outdated electoral system.To reduce the number of MPs. To introduce laws to make MPs abide by the same tax rules as the rest of us.To ban lobbyists.To reform the House of Lords, so peerages stop being handed out like sweeties to arrogant non-elected fixers.To give the British people a referendum on the EU.To raise the tax threshold to £10,000... good thinking Mr Cable.

Comment number 19.

1 Get out of Europe2 Strengthen our borders to prevent further illegal immigration.3 Return all illegal immigrants forthwith to their places of origin.4 Stop benefits and payments to illegal immigrants.5 Get out of this Human Rights jungle that benefits the criminals in preference to those who are innocent.

End the micromanagement of public services. We hire teachers to teach, nurses to nurse and police officers to police. It is absurd to have qualified teachers, nurses and police officers spending their time form-filling. Cut the number of forms and the amount of measurement going on - all it achieves is it misdirects precious resources.

Massive cutbacks in useless public sector jobs, with the savings partly put towards hiring useful workers. I'd rather have a nurse than a "5-a-day outreach coordinator" and for the price of a "diversity awareness program director" we could probably have 3-4 junior nurses.

So hey presto, public sector spending cut while quality of services improves. It's not that difficult.

Comment number 22.

1. Whatever length parental leave is, make it so that mums and dads can split the time as they choose between them. This is will narrow the gender pay gap and discourage employers from discriminating against women.

2. Euthanasia - probably the single most important issue facing developed world societies today, potentially having a direct impact on more peoples' deaths than war. Find a way of helping people die with dignity and without suffering.

3. Fat cat pay is simply obscene. Some kind of index capping top earners' pay in relation to what is earned by the lowest paid is welcome, but please don't limit it to chief execs and bankers. Many celebrities are just as greedy.

Also, limit output on the dire state of the economy and keep stats to a minimum because few people believe them. Whoever gets into power next is going to have to deal with these problems and personally I'll be grateful to them for devoting head space to it so that I don't have to.

Comment number 24.

Brilliant! I'll have a look for that in my library. I guess that going by the number of things stated in the last one that didn't materialise (like an EU referendum, etc.), I should be looking for it in the 'Fiction' section?

Comment number 25.

If the evidence of the last decade of Labour manifestos is anything to go by the contents are a pack of lies. What you have to make your judgment on is the direction that the party appears to be heading. Labours Nanny State or the Conservatives who think people have a right to make their own decisions.

Comment number 28.

A cap on immigration we are a small island we have limited resources and no more room for housing.

Tough on crime, let's adopt the three strikes and you're out policy, no whining and no excuses.

Remind people that they have responsibilities as well as rights, make parents legally responsible for their children's actions.

Overhaul the benefits system, it's not right and not fair to have people who don't work and in some cases who have never worked to be able to maintain a better lifestyle than those who do and contribute through taxes etc.

Overhaul public sector pensions, why should people in the private sector contribute towards the pensions of those in the public sector when they have to make their own provisions. Nearly a quarter of the council tax collected in my area is used to pay for pensions.

Comment number 29.

My manifesto would start by saying that we should all be proud to live in a society which looks after the less fortunate minority, the hallmark of an advanced civilization.

Unfortunately I seem to find myself in a tiny minority of people who are well paid but don’t mind paying taxes to support the poorest and the elderly. I’m left wondering what has happened to our society to make people who’ve benefitted from life’s opportunities have such a deep resentment of those who have few chances.

Perhaps my manifesto will try to re-introduce the word 'compassion' into people's vocabulary.

Comment number 30.

If any of the three party dictatorship were honest, their manifesto would be to look after the banking dynasty first, followed by big business second, line their own pockets (with expenses, second homes, free perks and lucrative contacts for when they leave Westminster) third, and the poor old voter last and least. A vote for BNP will end this sham democracy when the sheeple finally wake up to what has been done to them.

Comment number 31.

1.Re-nationalise the railways. If we are serious about green issues we should encourage a clean, safe, fair and affordable (not for profit) alternative to the car. The current system seems to be balanced in favour of the train companies over the public need. The government are constantly building more roads - yet want people to use cars less? It doesn't make sense and it just appears that the government simply wants tax revenue from cars.

2.Restore democractic accountability - Only MP's can be ministers. Thus preventing an unelected business minister with no accountability to anyone making wide ranging decisions.

3.Cease the MOP up period. Once the election is called no more laws passed (unless emergency etc). This would stop laws like the digital economy bill being passed.

Comment number 33.

1) The current system by which a referendum is called only if the government decides that it wants one is grossly unstisfactory. Labour promised a referendum on Lisbon before it was elected, Brown welshed on the promise when it didn't suit him. Cameron's 'cast iron' promise that he would have one anyway has similarly proved to be cheap plastic now the treaty has been signed. I would allow for referandums to be triggered by:a) A free vote in the House of Commonsb) A free vote in the House of Lordsb) The Head of statec) An appeal to the Supreme Court2) Raise the tax threshold to the National Minimum wage for a full time week.3) Introduce a single flat-rate tax above this threshold, set at a rate that it should (initially) raise the same amount of money.4) Make the full tax allowance transferable between married couples/civil partners with children under 16. Those who chose not to make their relationships official in any way cannot, IMO, reasonably expect the tax system to recognise them.5) I would pay for the above by scrapping tax credits, and all other tax breaks and allowances. They only make the system more complicated and expensive to administer, while providing both the incentive and opportunities for evasion and avoidance.6) I would cap total *cash* social security payments to claimants at substantially less than the National Minimum Wage for a full time week. Additional help to be given by other means. It should not be possible for anyone to get more money from benefits than from work. Few do, but those who do bring the whole system into disrepute. I've seen too many allegedly poverty-struck people on news reports who seem to be able to afford to buy 42" plasma screen TVs, cigarettes, drink etc.7) Those in receipt of unemployment benefit expected to be available for work, on community projects or other such work. Make-work if necessary; sitting around watching daytime TV or the like should not be an option, expecially for under-25 NEETs.8) The 'war on drugs' drives addicts into crime and prostitution, puts huge profits in the hands of criminals, clogs up the prisons and does little to reduce addiction rates. Drug addiction should be treated as a medical rather than a criminal problem.

Comment number 34.

At present the benefits system is so complex, with interlocking benefits so dependent on one another that getting a job can make some families worse off.

I would establish a 'benefit protection' tax band equal in rate to the highest rate of tax paid to high earners. Any unemployed person who takes a job can elect to have all his or her benefits preserved, just as if (s)he was unable to get a job.

No benefit is lost; the person cannot be worse off because of a 'poverty trap'.

In return, all income is taxed at the same rate as the highest rate tax payers pay on the top slice of their earnings - and this discharges their liability to National Insurance as well. The unemployed have the same incentive to work as a top rate tax payer.

When it is to his or her advantage to, the worker can elect to claim the normal tax relief and graduated rates of income tax in return for normal National Insurance contributions and the benefits appropriate to being in work.

We can then do away with the intrusive and expensive stick we currently use to try to drive the few work shy claimants and the many other suspects into jobs. The carrot costs nothing - saving the cost of the stick, and everybody benefits including HMRC who get the 50% tax.

And if, when you do the sums, you work out that the exchequer would be worse off under this scheme - it means that when people return to work the loss of benefits means they are better off by less than half of what they earn. So if it isn't a money spinner for the exchequer the current system is encouraging the work shy!

Comment number 35.

Manifesto's to be binding by law.Minimum Wage £10.00 an hour.Maximum Wage One Hundred Thousand a year.Cut all overseas funding. (charity starts at home)Cap house prices at One Hundred Thousand Pounds. (people have made a killing buying and selling houses, especially council houses) Cut tax on Fuel, Tobacco, and Alcohol. (funded from money saved from not sending it abroad, and handouts to the lazy)Bring back apprenticeships. (only for UK residents)Do away with Party politics.Divide the country into say 300 constituencies.The elected 300 then run the country, and have a free vote when deciding matters.Also create an English Parliament, so the English have a bit of say on English matters. (unlike now)I have loads of other great ideas but unfortunately I cant sit here all day, I have work to do.

Comment number 37.

I would like to do something about production and manufacturing to in help increase the output of the UK. It's probably unrealistic at this point but it would be nice to know tghe UK produces quality products once again and not some imported high store crap where the only part produced is the plastic bottle.

Comment number 38.

Overhaul public sector pensions, why should people in the private sector contribute towards the pensions of those in the public sector when they have to make their own provisions. Nearly a quarter of the council tax collected in my area is used to pay for pensions.

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Workers in the public sector have salary deductions made for their pensions, and their employer also makes a contribution. The question is where does this money go to? Is it in a pension fund somewhere? Or does the employer appropriate it on the pronmise that it will be made good later? What is the real difference between public and private pensions - whichever sector we work in I think we should be told.

Comment number 42.

We are determined to tackle the social problems perceived by the Electorate and reported in the Tabloids, by pledging to improve everything in the future!

We will ensure your future is much better than the present.

We promise to learn from our mistakes and never do the exact same thing again in the future - we will pledge to use entirely different language and 'stolen' concepts to do something completely the same but different.

We will make things better and more efficient and cheaper and nicer and more shiny and colourful and happy and just lovely.

We believe in Welfare and helping everyone, and pledge to achieve this selfless task by 'giving' your value and money to the wealthy elites - so they can help you all from their off shore paradise!

We will create all manner of stuff in the future, including employment opportunities and housing, more better health, and improved education! We pledge to 'wish' for a bigger economy with more stuff and lots of technology

We will pledge to achieve lots of things for you all in making stuff much easier and cheaper And lots of fairer things and less unfairness, We will achieve this by increasing the amount of money rich people have to 'give' to charity! And also by reducing the amount of money poor people can waste on thing they do not need, like cakes and sweets!

We will improve everything and cut the cost to you of anything we can get cheaper from somewhere else!

We can ensure you are happier, healthier and just more intelligent and successful through our innovative policy, partnerships and cooperation with someone.

We pledge to give you hope though our ingenious complex plans to build a big white elephant in the middle of some big place - or we can construct a large super tower with some very bright light so you can all look at it in wonder - Of course this will cost billions and have no practical purpose but its a symbol of hope and our determination to strive for better things!

We understand things are not so great NOW, but we pledge to improve everything in the future, obviously this is a difficult task and will involve many sacrifices by you and your children NOW, but remember its not as bad as it was in the past and it will be much better in the future! Sometime! maybe! If things work out and our wishes are fulfilled - if we pray hard enough every day!

We will endeavour to 'wish' for a 'perfect' world on your behalf and keep our fingers crossed that all your desires will be fulfilled!

We pledge that ALL our intentions are morally right, good, will improve your existence and are all terrific - obviously you must understand that good intention do not necessarily equate to good consequences and we cannot guarantee the future!

Comment number 43.

To sort out national debt:1) Cut management costs in the public sector; get them doing something productive in the private sector.2) Remove final salary pension schemes from MPs, and Civil Servants.3) Remove aid to countries like India that have a space programme, and are taking UK jobs through outsourcing.4) Put in place a constitutional restraint on politicians from participating in wars that do not represent a direct threat on our shores, unless it is a mandated UN intervention supported by at least 10 other nations.5) Put up stamp duty on housing, houses are expensive thanks to the speculators, we've spent the last 18 years fuelling a housing bubble, and all we've done is inflate house prices and allow all the money that could have been spent in the country being given to bankers, shame!6) Tax outsourcing projects overseas. We're causing our workforce to become less and less skilled, this tax would be used to retrain the workforce and pay for high tech university courses.

To encourage innovation and grow the country:

Give tax breaks to innovative companies, to ensure we actually lead in something other than banking sharp practice. For these breaks, each new company gives a none voting 20% stake of its shares to the government, this stake can be used to ensure the company is less easily sold outside the country and give a return on the investment to the tax payer.

Encourage patriotism and national pride:

Get each immigrant to go through a citizenship course.At the end of the course the immigrant has to sign a contract of patriotism renouncing any cultural practices that are considered oppressive and none British, forced marriages etc.Limit immigration to those that provide skills & qualifications we lack.

Education:

Give graduates with degrees that have skills we need (science, engineering, medicine) 10 year tax breaks if they use the qualification they have.Pay grants to and fees for University courses for skills we need, but not to those we don’t like classics, David Beckman studies etc.

Policing:

Less managers, more beat police.

Health:

Cut managers, trusts and other rubbish structures, spend the money on doctors and nurses.

Before New Labour came into power this country had a work ethos where hard work resulted in success. People had aspirations and ambitions to work hard, do well for themselves, buy a nice house, buy a nice car and live a comfortable life.

After 13 years of New Labour, it seems as if the populous is worn out, has no ambition, no work ethos and cannot see the point in working hard to live a comfortable life. We're even too tired to demonstrate on things like fuel protests. We've been beaten black and blue into submission by New Labour. Now it seems that the most we aspire to is how much money we can claw back from those who have success and give to those who have never lifted a finger to work.

Comment number 46.

Does it really matter what is in their manifesto?What is 100% certain is they won't stick to it anyway !!!

My Manifesto?1) Reverse Immigration2) Stop ALL overseas donations to foreign powers3) Bring our troops home to cover our own borders and hunt down anti-Brits.4) Remove tax on fuel.5) Invest the cash saved in our own country6) Out of the EU and run our own country once again

The money saved by 1,2,3+6 will enable investment in domestic spending to rocket by re-igniting the economy, then we will be the envy of the world again.

Comment number 48.

Get out of Europe before it is to late, and we have been swallowed up and taken over completely. Stop all further immigration into Britian. Get back our national identity. Cut the public sector by half and let the private sector take over the jobs, reducing public sector pensions.Do not give our limited accomodation to single mothers with dozens of children by different fathers,or illigal immigrants, instead build blocks of multi accomodation flats for them. Deserving families should be first in line for social housing, not unemployed benefit seeking immigrants. Don't lie to the public (Take note Gordon Brown). Stop the unfair system in the NHS where some ethnic groups can wear clothes according to their religion, while Christians are told to get lost, there is no room in modern Labour Britain for you, and lastly, but mostly listen to the people of this country instead of trying to avoid all issues that don't fit into your agenda.

Comment number 49.

Parliamentary candidates need no qualifications to stand and be elected for Parliament. Their wages should therefore be based on the minimum wage for unqualified workers. They could have regular reviews to see how well they have performed and get a small increase in line with government guidelines on wage increases and in line with inflation. After twenty years a good MP should be on about £20,000 or even more.

Replace our troops in Afghanistan with the entire British police force. They have apparently abolished crime in this country going by government statistics. Well done the boys in blue. You can patrol the mean streets of Afghanistan and bring law and order to the country just as you have here.

Meanwhile our troops could patrol the streets of Britain. Perhaps the knife carriers and drive by shooters etc won't like it but I'm sure the rest of us won't mind and I think the soldiers would welcome the rest and the chance to see their families again. Their wages would have to increase dramatically of course. They could even keep their guns.

As for the Little Europeans out there, I think they should get acquainted with their spiritual homeland and go and live with their european friends and discuss such things as lebensraum and perfidious Albion to their heart's content.

Comment number 52.

Sounds fine until you think it through. Manifestos are based upon current knowledge of the current situation. Understanding and situations change. Sometimes commitments have to be changed.

eg. Labour, under Blair, openly proposed to raise NI to pay directly for the NHS investment. When it looked at the books as left by the Tories it couldn't carry out its investment promises. A straw poll was carried out. The vast majority of people were found to be in favour so NI was raised.

Labour promised to have an EU treaty referendum if certain lines were crossed by the treaty. The lines were not crossed, so a referendum wasn't needed.

Past Tory government's had to go back on investment promises because of recession. They had to make savings instead, eg in defence, to pay for unemployment.

Things happen that governments cannot always control. Main thing is. governments should be honest about their reason for breaking promises.

Comment number 53.

My own manifesto would include.1) Investigation of the cultural and political elite in order to discover their true motivations and beliefs.2) An end to all voter bribery (other than the provision of health care).3) A return to core values of national identity.4) An end to "the matrix" type contol of events and perceptionsusing smoke and mirrors as practised by (1) above.5) Once these had been carried out and a basis for a new begining achieved, a re-assesment of what is actually important to the continued success of our country.

Comment number 57.

42. At 10:56am on 12 Apr 2010, you wrote:The Totally Ridiculous Party Manifesto has several key pledges!

We forgot to add -

We believe it necessary and right to tax anything and everything we perceive as bad! And punish all behaviour we do not agree with!

And we pledge to persecute any person deemed as deviant or not in total agreement with any of our good intentions or who may question HOW our wishes, pledges or desires can be achieved in any meaningful sense!!!!

Comment number 58.

1. Scrap and don't replace Trident.2. Restore link between state pension and average earnings.3. Replace House of Lords with elected body.4. Join the euro.5. Review taxation to ensure highest eraners pay appropriate proportion of tax (ie not a lesser share of their income than the lowest paid).4. Review HMRC powers to tackle tax avoidance and evasion and broker as many information sharing deals with tax havens as possible.5. Maintain spending on NHS and education - everything else is up for grabs.6. Scrap ID cards.7. Remove innocent people from DNA database.8. Allow true same sex "marriage" and not just "civil partnerships".9. Focus resources on getting young people into employment (my 18 and 20 year olds are having a terrible time taking any temporary jobs they can, but not able to get jobs that offer careers.10. Integrated transport policy that includes bringing rail back into public ownership if necessary.11. Investment in "green" technologies.12. Continue push to wake the world up to climate change.13. Define what looks like success in Afghanistan and provided necessary means to execute.

Comment number 59.

I would also inclue an overhaul of the unemployment benefit system. Instead of tarring everyone with the same brush I would have a set of rules that treats differently those who have worked all their lives then been made redundant from those who are clearly trying to avoid working at all (and yes, I believe they can be identified).

Comment number 60.

To ensure greater accountability to politicians – and the higher up you are the greater the accountability.

To put in place Proportional Representation.

To devolve further powers to Scotland and Wales, and have a Parliament in the UK with similar powers to be located in Birmingham/Leeds/some other ‘Central’ location.

Reduce the members of the UK parliament.

To encourage an English Identity as well as encouraging a British Identity – and ensuring people understand that there is a difference, and what the difference is.

To re-evaluate Income Tax and taxes on business and VAT to encourage growth in employment, business, whilst ensuring a fair tax system that supports our services and is able to reduce the UK Deficit in a structured, clear and supportable framework.

To promote politics in a Local Environment – ensuring people know who they need to talk to.

Greater immigration control both in and out of the UK, fostering a policy which welcomes people who wish to be here and contribute to being here, and reducing the element that wishes for ‘something for nothing’ or are breaking the law.

Comment number 61.

A vote for BNP will end this sham democracy when the sheeple finally wake up to what has been done to them.

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So if you don't vote for BNP you're just 'sheeple'?

Get real, no sane intelligent person would vote for BNP or be insulted by any crazy remark a pro-BNP supporter would use against its haters.

BNP will end a whole lot more than a 'sham democracy' make no mistake about that. Learn you're history and actually try and work out the real source of your anger. I will give you a clue it isn't with Non-Britains, its something a lot closer to yourself. Very close to yourself.

Comment number 63.

Top post. Its a sorry state of affairs that this sums up the real attitude of half the posters to HYS, but will they recognize themselves "

Thats not just the attitude of HYS posters, its the attitude of most of the country. we have become a nasty, selfish bunch of little englanders who don't mind thousends of uk born people living off benefits but want to stop hard working people from other countrys coming to the uk to make a better life for themselves.

Comment number 64.

Referendums are a waste of time. In which one over the last 13 years was there any mention of swamping the UK with foreigners ? Giving up our sovereign powers to the EU ? Two of the most dramatic things to happen to our country in it's entire history, yet neither was included in any manifesto. And they call us a democracy. WHAT A JOKE !!!!!

Comment number 65.

Maybe a change in the voting system to. Something closer to prop representation as the polls don't seem to correlate with the seats won.

Had a look on the swingometer and it showed that Labour to have a majority just need 1% more votes than the tories but for the tories to have a majority they require 10% more votes try it you will see.

Comment number 66.

Manifestos all seem to be about deceit,admittingly a Labour strong suit. All parties have reneged on these "pledges", non more than Labour. But the biggest deceit is Brown staging his speech in the new Birmingham hospital claiming "on time on budget" at £600M, yet not acknowledging that it is a PFI project that will cost over time £2.6 Billion! Labour again misleading,lying and deceitful. Clegg and Cameron will do the same.Why dont we disallow manifestos, or if we have to have them, a system that says if you do not stick to the manifesto YOU ARE OUT; no election just OUT and the next biggest party takes over. Politicians do not like being accountable ,it runs contrary to their greed.

Comment number 67.

All manifestos are shopping lists,they are merely a poor sales pitch from spivs who are as shifty as second hand car dealers.The voters are wise to all that rubbish and with information overload can quickly see through lies and unsustainable promises. A real manifesto for UK ltd will be to put this country back into the black asap.Its not rocket science either. 1.Cut out ALL "waste" in public sector-our money after all!and no new recruitment in civil service especially the MOD where there are 85,000 civil servants and 99,000 soldiers-crazy!also revamp the NHS to concentrate on what its good at not thousands of pencil pushers who earn and cost the public 25% of NHS budget.2.Put-up VAT and introduce it on food-unpopular but necessary.3Raise the earnings limit where tax is first paid.4.Close all tax loopholes.5.80% Tax breaks for new business start ups for 5 years,where the business employs more than 20 people for up to 5 years.6.Start a peoples bank where everyone has a bank account and can borrow on credit union rules.7. Force private banks to lend on "reasonable" terms or be fined and open the market up to new banks.8.Cut back our committments abroad by 50% and end our involvement in the "war zones"-we cant afford it.9.Have proper,high quality training for those who dont want to go into further education when leaving school-IE apprentices-also "free" training to gain qualifications for anyone,especially if your unemployed,this would save the country money and deter people coming to this country to "steal" British jobs..There also should NEVER be any young person leaving school who ends up doing nothing or without the training to walk into a job-all youngsters will be employed.10.Abolish the House Of Lords and replace it with an elected Senate.

Comment number 68.

"I see we have the normal little englander comments about leaving the EU. I doubt the people who make these comments need the UK in the EU to keep their jobs. "

I have been in export sales most of my working life, and speak several European languages fluently, so careful who you're calling 'Little Englander'.

I believe we should leave the EU, or rather, see the EU re-structured to be the Europe of Nations it should have been from the start.

So, my manifesto

- electoral reform- referendums to become the norm, especially on matters such as EU membership, immigration, housing- recall of MPs to be possible- devolution of power back to county level- end or severely limit immigration, even from within the EU- repatriate all asylum seekers and their offspring, no matter the consequences to them- encourage visible minorities who consider themselves to belong to 'ethnic communities' to go 'home'- burqa and veil ban- end benefit dependency (no more child-producing at state expense)- better, slimmed-down public services- better public transport, cycle paths, green energy.

Comment number 71.

So what you are saying then, not much point in having a Manifesto in the first place.Of course I know things change, and in some cases its not possible to follow the Manifesto to the letter.I've been around long enough to know in many cases the Manifesto is just another way to try and win votes, with no intention of carry it all out.The public need to know what they are voting on and for.

Comment number 72.

I want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth plus an apology for what he has done to this country.I am well aware that this is an alien concept for them to adopt but I've had enough of their lies and mismanagement to last me a lifetime.

Labour supporters carp on about Cameron and the middle classes and how everything he suggests is just a bribe - please explain how NuLabour are any different. They have had 13 years to put right many of the wrongs done to the British public and only now are they coming up with what they see as solutions.

We have been fed half truths and outright lies for so long that we can't believe anything. For example just look at how quiet NuLabour have been about the pay rises given to NHS management. They let us believe that they received pay awards in line with the nurses - 3% but only now do we find out this is untrue What they actually received was nearer 7%.

I hope that whoever wins this election does so because they truly want to cure what ails us - not just to strut on the political stage massaging their oversized ego. Whatever is in Mr. Brown's manifesto I will take an awful lot of convincing that they won't revert to type once a victory is theirs.

Comment number 74.

57. At 11:15am on 12 Apr 2010, you wrote:42. At 10:56am on 12 Apr 2010, you wrote:

Also we will pledge to have a really nice picture on the cover of our manifesto - Which will look something like the magazine cover of a particular religious organisation which worships Jehovah rather than God!!!!!! How strange is that? Another cult of Doctrine of sacrifice preachers! Nice

and be in the same schtook as Greece and have no direct control over our economic future? No thanks.

"12. Continue push to wake the world up to climate change."

The Earth's climate has been changing for millions of years. We know this. MMGW is unproven. It doesn't mean we shouldn't be 'green' in our philosophy but I'm not going to pay to fix something that isn't proven to be broken.

Comment number 77.

- Increase all taxes on senior bankers- remove all loop holes from the tax system as the wealthy have been sucking this country dry for years using the week tax systems.- Employers to state why a post wasn't offered to a British worker i.e. anyone born in England.- Employers to provide proof that they are paying the minimum wage.- Open talks with regards to having a maximum wage?- Higher fines on employers who employ staff without proof of immigration status- Provide councils with power to take over a private property that hasn't been occupied within a year. This would allow councils to provide housing to people on the waiting list.- Housing for people whose family, have lived in an area for over 15 years as a council tenant.- Young people with children will not automatically be given housing.- Remove any statement that states people will have a choice eg. Choice of school as this is impossible to deliver.

Comment number 78.

1/ I would limit children benefit for 2 children. If people want more children, they can pay for them. Having children is a lifestyle choice that should be paid for by the parents. It is not a right like so many people seem to believe.

2/ Increase the minimum wage to encourage British people to take jobs instead of being better off on benefits. This way, the Government would not have to invited immigrants over who are prepared to work for low wages. Plus, tax credits would not be needed.

3/ Keep British jobs for British workers. There are many talented, hardworking and unemployed Brits, while some great jobs are being allocated to people from U.S.A, Australia and New Zealand.

4/ Ban Quango and PC jobs e.g Multi-cutural advisor. Just what exactly is there to advise? People who have made the choice to settle in Britain should integrate instead of us having to understand their culture and so forth while making little effort to be British.

5/ A better deal for single people with no children. Yes, we do exist and many of us live in poverty since the benefits and services are awarded to families.

6/ Suitable help for unemployed graduates who have to sign on every two weeks at the JobCentre. It is no good sending them to basic Maths and English courses. I would ban educated people from being forced to attend dumbed down courses.

7/ Increase the pay of teachers in order to attract and retain the best teachers. Being a teacher is very hard in Britain right now due to all the red tape and discipline issues they now face.

Comment number 80.

Income Tax, National Insurance and Capital Gains Tax to be abolished and replaced with a single rate of Income Tax at 30% for all income over £12,000 a year. Families (two adults with children less than 18 year’s old living in the same home) would be able to transfer up to 50% of their tax allowance between partners.

Department of Education abolished, all state owned schools would become independent trust schools that are owned and run by the teachers, parents and governors who would have total control over how the school was run and how their budget was spent. The treasury would directly supply each school with a set amount of funding per pupil/per year as long as the school is run on a non-profit basis and the school is open to all children within their catchment area regardless of race, religion and ability.

Withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Abolish all unemployment benefits and replace with grants for training and education programs.

Abolish DLA and other such benefits and replace with a single, means tested benefit to allow people with severe disabilities to live a happy and dignified life.

Abolish child allowance and other child benefits and put the money saved into providing free child care at kindergartens.

Implement a written Constitution and Bill of Rights that clearly defines the limitations of government authority and the rights and responsibilities of all UK citizens.

Land reform act to prevent supermarkets, corporations and land owners from buying up banks of land in order to stop their competitors from starting up in their area.

Planning permission to be the responsibility of local people, not central government.

Decentralisation of government powers, all decisions would be made as locally as possible instead of the current centralised mess with most decisions made at Westminster. This could include local and regional government reform as well as the establishment of an English parliament.

Comment number 81.

1. Complete overhaul of the benefits system. If you are a "Job Seeker" then you will be made to work for your benefits in places such as factories and local councils (cleaning roads etc). This will have two advantages - the ability to compete with India, China and other EU countires who subsidise their manufacturing. Plus, it will MAKE people look for work.

2. Honest and sensible immigration. Why do we let in unskilled people who can't even speak English?

3. Crime and punishment, not rehabilitation. People are just not afraid of the police or the justice system. Sorry, but I'm not paying for a rapist to have a computer games console and a pool table in prison. Prison should be feared, however it's a joke.

4. Less talk more action! Why do we need hundreds of commitees to decide on the best course of action, which may or may not be followed? These civil servants are milking the country dry with buffet lunches and expensive venues/hotels. Less "thinkers" and more 'do-ers'!

5. Thinking twice before getting involved in conflicts that do not concern us.

All of the above will hugely reduce the burden on the tax payer and allow the decent working majority to have a life worth living. There should still be adequate social care for people in need (disabilities, single parents etc) but why should we prop up two generations of lazy people?

Comment number 82.

For a start I'd repeal the Digital Economy Act, rushed through Parliament in the dying seconds of this administration without proper scrutiny or debate. In case it escaped your attention, this legislation will label every computer user, from a 12 year-old child to an 80 year-old pensioner, as guilty of "illegal" downloading and file sharing unless they can prove their innocence.

Why are you not reporting this subversion of the principle of British justice? Oh yes, got to find space for the real story of the day: "Beer mat house sets record".

Comment number 85.

We may not believe politician’s manifesto. Please look at Japan. Last August, Our new government won election with fake manifesto. Everyone didn’t notice that we were deceived by new government’s manifesto at that time. So Japanese are fed up with manifesto now.

Comment number 86.

My manifesto would ensure that I wouldn't get elected because I can't fly in the face of reality and honesty well enough to be a politician. I wouldn't be able to stop myself from saying that times are going to have to be tough, and we're all going to have to tighten our belts for a while. Unfortunately it appears too many of the electorate don't see that and will vote for whoever promises them the most even if it's obviously impossible, or deeply damaging to the country, to try to keep that promise.

Comment number 87.

Reform of the benefits system. Those that have never worked to receive an education and skills in order that they can. Single teenage mothers to be the responsibility of their parents, if this not possible, then open special homes to accomodate them and also a programme of work.Reform of the over complicated tax system.Restore Polytechnics.Totally reform the education system, restore streaming at primary level upwards.Create specialised schools for those have genuinely have learning difficulties.Reform the exam system so that pupils actually have to study the subject and remove multiple choice questions,raise the bar for a pass mark, this should ensure that only the very best receive a university education. This should be the pinnacle not the norm as a way to avoid getting a job or opting for a useless course. Remove tuition fees to ensure that each and every one who has gained the top exams pass rate can take up their place.Ensure that more training is done 'on the job' in the form of apprentiships.Make it law that new drivers can only carry one passenger and restrict the engine size of the car.Overhaul the justice system to ensure that criminals are correctly sentenced and serve their full terms.Bring back village policemen or women who can be contacted directly and ensure that Police stations are manned 24/7 with a direct 'phone line.Ensure that GPs earn their salaries by having surgeries open 6 days a week with one on call on a Sunday.Remove the dead wood from the NHS, end the targets and ensure that patients have access to the drugs they need. Unecessary cosmetic and other treatments that are not life threatening to be paid for.Encourage small businessess by removing so much of the red tape, lower the threshold for employees tax and NI contributions.Increase the rate of VAT on items over a certain price and on prepared meals, vegetables and salads.Lower the rate payable on gas and selctricity for non business customers or better still remove it altogether.Make it mandatory that all inhabitants of a property who are earning contribute towards Council Tax.All government Ministers to be elected MPs preferably with some experience of life, i.e. having actually been actively involved in teaching if a Minister for Education. The same criteria should apply to Social workers particularly those who are involved with children. Recruit more mature people who have had a family.Stop all building on green field sites or farmland, renovate unused properties for social housing or small businessess.Stop any further supermarket building or expansion of existing ones, we have more than enough.Break up DEFRA,we need to go back to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and support for British farmers.No further integration into the EU, it is an unelected monster that costs us dearly.

All this to be carried out according to affordability but the top priority is to reduce the huge deficit built up over 13 years.

Comment number 88.

The Labour manifesto might as well be entitled "Gordon's Big Book of Lies". We've been here before. Manifesto pledges are not worth the ink used to print them. A real manifesto would be a commitment by all three main parties to work in a government of national unity for the next two terms, with no minister in place who does not have direct experience of the brief he or she is tasked with handling, and independent external expertise sought as necessary. Every new law passed, should also trigger the corresponding removal of an existing piece of legislation. A real manifesto would also commit to fewer MPs and fewer ministers. At the moment there are far too many people in Parliament with too much time on their hands. These people are not running a country, they are meddling in things they know little or nothing about, just because they can - to the serious detriment of us all.

Comment number 91.

1) Increase immigration to 5 million a year2) Treble our contribution to the EU and bale out Greece single handed3) Release all dangerous prisoners for care in the community4) Those who refuse to work get annual £20,000 bonuses on top of benefits5) Increase benefits significantly for single mothers with more than 4 children by different fathers6) Free duck houses, second homes and unlimited cash expenses for MPs7) Any MP reneging on a promise to hold a Referendum to be given a £10 million bonus8) Tax anyone earning less than £50k at 75%. Those above £50k pay no taxes as they are deemed "offshore"9) Double financial support to African despotic leaders - plus free Rolls Royces10) No Ministers to be elected - all to be appointed from the Lords11) Buy 25 Tridents - manufactured abroad12) Anyone who works more than 30 hours per week to be publicly flogged13) Convert all churches to mosques14) Senior Bank Managers to be deified and provided with free stately homes 15) Burqas compulsory for all women16) Execute anyone found in posession of cannabis17) Minimum wage - 75p a week18) State Pensions to be removed19) Close half of our schools and hospitals (rename them universities)20) Any worthless elderly person over 68 to be systematically frozen to death next winter21) Christmas to be made illegal22) Free health and safety courses for all23) Cameras to be erected on every street corner24) Petrol - £200 per litre25) Declare war on any country whose name ends in "stan"

Comment number 93.

Manifesto : a public declaration of policy and aimsPledge : a solemn promise or undertakingPromise: an assurance that one will do something or that something will happen

It is quite interesting (or maybe not) to assess how politicians use these words and what the underlying 'pragmatic' meaning might be. (In a sense, it may not matter, because Government will always have a 'get out clause' based on 'events'.)

Statements of intention are conditional: We will do Y (but with the unstated 'only if X', 'X' being - 'we have the money' or 'if the EU / Americans allow it' or 'if we think we can get away with it')

Pledges are in my view, binding. They are formal contracts with the voter. Only the most exceptional circumstances should prevent these being undertaken in the timescale stated and a full explanation given.

Promises lie somewhere in between statements of intent and pledges. They should be honoured where possible but can be broken for the greater good, and only after a well-reasoned and evidence-based case is made to the voter.

The only thing I want government to do is restore our (previously) world-renowned democracy to a truly liberal (small 'l') one, where freedoms (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, speech, belief, opportunity) are balanced with properly enforced individual responsibilities and transparent good governance by elected representatives.

Comment number 95.

So, Gordon Brown and Nu-Lab will today publish their manifesto - what a joke - anybody with any sense at all knows it will be yet another tabulation of bare faced lies prepared with the sole intention of wooing the electorate in advance of their impending demise.

Experience tells us that, should the impossible happen and Brown be re-elected, these 'promises' will be soon forgotten and, given Nu-Lab's previous record, I expect both David Cameron and Nick Clegg to tear both this manifesto and Gordon Brown apart over this.

Comment number 96.

Quote "Thats not just the attitude of HYS posters, its the attitude of most of the country. we have become a nasty, selfish bunch of little englanders who don't mind thousends of uk born people living off benefits but want to stop hard working people from other countrys coming to the uk to make a better life for themselves."

NO! We want to stop hard working people from other countrys coming to the uk to make a better life for themselves, so that thousands of British born cannot carry on living off benefits and will be forced to find work because it will not have already been taken by the above.

Comment number 97.

Why do we continue to hear these promises from Labour that they will implement reforms and improvements etc etc??? If they are so committed to such 'reforms and improvements' why is it only now, 4 weeks before the election and after 13yrs in power, that they have got such ideas??? What have they been doing since 1997?

Please people, don't be hoodwinked by Gordon and his cronies.. Vote them out and let David Cameron and the Conservative party's energy revive this faltering country.

Comment number 98.

Firstly defence: We have to give our forces the best tools and resources for the job,

Secondly drugsSave billions spent in controlling drugs, by buying the narcotics and controlling the trade that way. Under cut the dealers and it'll kill the trade. use the drugs so the addicts can be weaned off. This is a chemical war we are fighting. Pharmaceutical companies have their own plantations for producing medical narcotics so why not pay the afgans for the same product?

ThirdlyAs for getting rid of Trident and other Nuclear arms I have five words, North Korea, Iran, China and Russia. The first two wouldn't hesitate if we appeared weak. China is destabilising Africa and seeking influence in the Caribbean (Cuba) and South America (Venezuelan Oil). And Russia is a sleeping bear under Putin.

FourthThe Public sector is getting a handbagging by people here. I've worked in both the public sector and for commercial companies handling personally up to £100 million a year. Most of the managers are the medical staff who have to be on a management pay grade for their salaries. The only ones that ever get made redundant are the low paid workers who actually do the work. If you get rid of them, then nurses would be expected to do that job as well. At the moment you get appointments and treatment far faster than ever before.

Fifth Public sectorpensions. Most earn far less than those in private industry, They even have to pay to park at their places of work and they contribute vast sums to the economy. Would you prefer to pay income support on their pensions or the dole? There should be a cap on the big earners.

Sixth Communist and capitalist ideals have both failedThe vast majority of unemployed want to be in work. But with the economy the way it is and boss's under pressure to cut jobs it's not their fault.The barrier to work is living and housing costs, who in their right mind would take a job that doesn't pay for the roof over your head, or put food on the table? Set a cap on housing costs and implement a cost of living ratio, that allows people to live and work closer to home. This would Cut travelling costs (Saving Fuel), Housing costs(no more sub primes)save on tax credits, Dole money and Supplimentry benifits. These would reverse the loss of community (Also keep familys together), be good for the environment (Less road journeys) and the help economy (more people in work). If people didn't have to earn so much to pay for food, shelter and water then they can take lower paid jobs. Companies wouldn't have to pay such high wages so it's win win.

FinnalyImmigration. The more people coming the more there is demand for housing that doesn't exist thus raising costs, Adding to health service bills (health tourists)and draining our social security system. Yes there are immigrants wo work hard and contribute to our society, Some sharing a room with ten others on a rotation sleep basis. But there are those who come her just for the cash. GIVE ME HOUSE GIVE ME MONEY. Entry should be based on the ability to pay your own way. A job for two years followed up, and kicked out if not complying. No Social money on arrival unless proven to be a genuine refugee takes away the allure for the chancers. If you come via Europe you are denied entry. Why should the Europeans get away with Dumping their dregs? If they do then the cost should come out of our contributions to the EU budget. The same for health tourists, divert the cost from the aid budget.

Comment number 99.

I work all week as does my partner, neither of us have ever claimed or been unemployed ever. We don’t have children so don’t get any help. We have a 26inch TV and struggle with every bill that comes through the door, so why can unemployed have 42inch TV’s and take every day in their stride as all their bills are paid for?

Comment number 100.

My manifesto would start by saying that we should all be proud to live in a society which looks after the less fortunate minority, the hallmark of an advanced civilization.

Unfortunately I seem to find myself in a tiny minority of people who are well paid but don’t mind paying taxes to support the poorest and the elderly. I’m left wondering what has happened to our society to make people who’ve benefitted from life’s opportunities have such a deep resentment of those who have few chances.

Perhaps my manifesto will try to re-introduce the word 'compassion' into people's vocabulary.

-------------------Most folk don't mind supporting poor & elderly (btw. depends on the definiton of poor here in the UK??)...the elderly should actually be supported more financially

The main problem is the benefits culture that we now experience and is draining the potThere are many people out there who have no intention of findng work because they can manage quite well on the handouts they get (signed on for a couple of months approx 4 years ago whilst between jobs and was amazed at how much you get with 3 kids when all was added up)Assistance should be a way of support through a difficult time and not seen as a lifestyle choice and paid at a rate that makes it more attractive to work Go to any unemployment office and you will see that almost everyone there signing on are able to work but, because they have no qualifications/experience they aren't pressurised to find work....officials instead concentrate on hounding those who they see as easy placements due to their past employment experience

Part of my manifesto would be to;-A) introduce a sliding scale of benefits payments ie. first 4 months 70% of last salary earned - then reduce this down every couple of months to a bare minimum rateOther countries do this and it works quite well as benefits are seen as a stop gapB) once on minimum rate ensure that recipients are either out doing meaningful training or community based projects so they are giving something back for the money they receive - don't participate then no benefits paidC) harshly monitor the agencies that are making a fortune under the guise that they are assisting long term unemployed back into work - at the moment these are just a way of manipulating the figures as whilst registered the attendee is not counted on official unemployment figures but, a lot of the time the attendee gets no serious assistance

Give people serious, meaningful training and they'll be more inclined to work

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